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Halloween Express
This version of the Big Bird costume is sold out at some retailers, like Ricky's, while others, like Halloween Express, say searches have jumped though sales haven't quite followed.
He emerged as a breakout star from the first presidential debate and he’s the focus of an Obama campaign ad. Now, he may be appearing at your friend’s next Halloween party or on your doorstep at the end of the month.
TODAY
Natalie wears a Big Bird mask.
Big Bird, the beloved “Sesame Street” character-turned-political football, might just be the Halloween costume to wear this election season. The feathered costumes started flying off shelves after Republican Mitt Romney mentioned the 8-foot bird during his debate against President Obama last week.
Story: Obama adviser: No plans to change Big Bird ad
“Big Bird was a big surprise seller this year,” said Melody Bleak, a manager at New York’s Halloween Adventure, which sold out of the costume earlier this week. The store started the season with about 20 in stock, she said. The same is true of Ricky’s, an East Coast Halloween and beauty chain which was out of stock of the bird getup online.
The beloved children's icon was also a hit on the opposite coast. Hollywood Toys & Costumes in Los Angeles sold out of licensed "Sesame Street" character ensemble, said store manager Steve Elowitz, who even checked the store’s warehouse to be sure.
And many people seem to be curious about the costume, even if they haven’t committed to it yet. Brad Butler, chief operating officer of Halloween Express, said the national chain has sold only five of the costumes online, despite a spike in searches – more than 400 this week alone.
He also noticed that the presidential debate had an unexpected impact on another favorite costume – presidential masks. Before the debate, the two candidates were about even.
“Since the debate, we’re selling two-to-one Romney to Obama,” he said.
Other retailers are seeing a similar spike, including Spirit Halloween, which has locations around the country.
"Romney's Halloween mask sales ... have increased since last week," said Lisa Barr, senior director of marketing for Spirit Halloween. "Mitt Romney may not care how many people dress up like Big Bird this year, but if our history predicting the next president stands, he might want to use the next debate to suggest a Romney mask for Halloween."
Obama is leading the sales in that face-off at New York’s Halloween Adventure, according to Bleak, and Elowitz remained mum on who’s leading the race at his store.
“We support both sides when it comes to sales,” he said.
So it remains to be seen which contender will win the votes of Halloween revelers this year. The sale of presidential candidates' Halloween masks is seen by many as an unscientific but strangely accurate predictor in presidential elections. The tradition dates back to 1988, when Ronald Reagan outsold Jimmy Carter.
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But Joker costumes are probably banned this Halloween.
It's ironic what is being manipulated by the media. One mention of "Public television"in the first debate and suddenly someone yells "big bird" is being attacked. Now we have a character from television in politics among two other characters in real life! Why not pick the Cookie monster or Oscar the grouch? Nope, one has an eating disorder the other is homeless. Go for the bird boys. Instead of focusing on the economy, unemployment,BOA getting away with billions it owes us taxpayers by paying a fine and only helping 150,000 homeowners, mostly in Iowa, with second mortgages. Nor what really happened to our four Americans that died in Libya from the terrorist attack our ambassador worried about and your failure to protect them, nope.
Let's focus on a big yellow bird and sell costumes making a political statement at the same time. Because people will be too distracted to notice what is really being done.Distract and deflect while hoping they will be too emotionally attached to that man in a puppet suit to really stop and think. Hey, Mr President, what plans do you have in place already, that if you win, are going to affect this country come January 1, 2013? Betcha lots of folks will be really surprised and big bird isn't going to be able to dance a happy tune to make America feel better.Heck though, Sesame Street will be doing better than Wall Street I'm sure.
Someone should be concerned about the sales of Big Bird costumes. The more Sesame Street merchandising that is sold, the less they can bitch about not having the money to broadcast.
Suggestion to PBS execs: Check with Sesame Street accountants. They have hundreds of millions in cash and investments.
A teenage girl is fighting for her life after getting shot by the Taliban over a blog and the media is fighting over Big Bird. Pathetic
Gotta love how the dems have taken Romney's Big Bird comment and turned it into some heinous war crime against the innocents of America. Please! It's obvious that Obama lovers are reaching for anything they can grasp to try and turn a watchful eye away from all the mishandling of our country by Obama himself. Oh, and let's not forget about the complete mess in the middle east and Africa. Wait! That's right...can't be Obama's fault, but I sure bet it would be George W.'s fault if he were in office. Funny how this president is not held responsible for anything. How times have changed over the last four years!